Check writer



Patented Aug. 3, 1937 STAT ` PATENT OFFEQE CHECK WRTER Application February 19, 1936, Serial No. 64,618

11 Claims. (Cl. 10i-335) Our invention relates generally to check Writers, and more particularly to improvements in inking mechanism for machines of this type.

In the past great difficulty has been experienced in securing a` uniform and sufficient application of ink tothe printing type of check writers. Check writers are subjected to very adverse conditions insofar as the inking mechanism is concerned, because of the fact that they are not used regularly and because of the fact that certain type, those of the lower denominational orders, are used much more frequently than the type in the higher denominational orders. These adverse conditions result in check writers equipped with ordinary inking mechanisms in supplying a surplus of ink to the type in the higher denominational orders and supplying less than the required amount to the type in the lower denominational orders. The resulting impression is therefore non-uniform and presents a poor appearance. While a suitable ink which does not dry upon the ink pad even when the pad is exposed to air for lengthy periods of time has been developed, it frequently 25 happens that the iirst impression made from a check writer after a lengthy period of disuse. is

not clear and therefore not readily legible.

It is, of course a desideratum of` check writing machines .that the impressions `made upon the I"30 negotiable instruments be of utmost clarity and legibility compatible with the necessity that the impression be very difficult to alter.

`It is therefore one of the primary objects of our invention to. provide an improved inking `.35 mechanism for check writers which will uniformly and regularly apply the required amount of ink to the impression type.

A further object is to provide a check Writer having a reciprocating ink pad and a roller for 4,0 transferring ink from` a reservoir to the pad, which roller is rotated during the operation of the machine at a peripheral speed greater than that ofthe pad, so` that ink may be effectively wiped from the roller upon the pad.

45 Other objects will app-ear from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a 'fragmentary sectional View of a check writer showing particularly the inking mechanism thereof, showing the parts in normal position; f

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the inking mechanism in operating position;

55 Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the and 56 upon its opposite end, these pins being ink reservoir roll taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig, 4 is a transverse sectional View of the ink reservoir and roll taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; 5

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are side elevational views of modified forms of ink reservoir rotating mechanisms. 10

The inking mechanism of our invention is herein illustrated as applied to a check writer of the type shown in the application of Ole Slettevold and Clarence W. Johnson, Serial No. 711,299, led February 15, 1934, which check 15 writer comprises generally a base casting I0 which forms a support for a platen l2 and has an upwardly extending bracket i4 to ,which frame plates i6 and i8 are secured, The machine is enclosed in a suitable casing 25.

A plurality of type segments 22 are pivotally mounted upon a shaft 24 which is mounted for vertical sliding movement in a pair of slots A26 formed in the side frame plates i6 and i8. The segments may be pivoted to select any one of 25 the type 26 thereof into printing position by means of manually engageable slides 28 which have depending slotted fingers 30 and are operatively connected to the respective type segments by arms 32 and links 34. An operating crank 36 30 having a handle 3B is secured to the end of an operating shaft 4l) which is mounted for oscillation in the frame plates I6 and I8.

The shaft 4l) has a slotted arm 42 rigidly secured thereto to form a lost motion connection 35 with a link 44 which has a shouldered pin 45 projecting through the slot in the arm 42. The end of the link 44 is pivoted to the end of a toggle link 46 which, together with the link 43 pivoted on the shaft 24, forms a toggle mechanism for vertically reciprocating the shaft 24 to effect impressions of the type 26 against the platen I2. The mechanism thus far described is not novel, being more fully illustrated in the aforesaid application of Ole Slettevold and t Clarence W. Johnson.

An inking pad 55 of a suitable pile fabric or similar material is secured to an ink pad carrier 52 Which is guided for reciprocatory movement by a pair of pins 54, 56 which are slidable in an irregularly shaped slot 55 formed in the side frame plate I6. It will be understood that the ink pad carrier 52 has pins'similar to pins 54 guided in a slot similar' to slot 58 but formed in the side frame plate I8.

A short rack 60 is secured inside the frame plate I6 and a similar rack is secured in the inside surface of the frame plate I8. A pair of arms 62 are pivoted upon the shaft 24, each of the arms having a gear segment formed thereon to mesh with the racks 60 respectively. A pair of links 64 each has its upper end connected to the free l0 end of one of the arms 62 by a pin and slot lost motion connection, and their lower ends pivotally connected to the ink pad carrier 52. Thus upon downward movement of the shaft 24 the arm 62 will be swung clockwise and after taking up the lost motion in their connection with the links 64, will through the links move the ink pad carrier to the left (Fig. l), and upon the upward vmovement of the shaft 24 will return the ink pad carrier to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1. In order to secure positive pressure between the faces of the type 26 and the pad 50 the leftward movement of the pad is delayed and the pad moved downwardly and away from the type before it is moved leftward, in order to prevent the pad from brushing the ink from the type. This is accomplished by means of a latch 66 which is pivotally mounted to the frame plate I6 by a suitable shouldered screw 68, the latch having a rearwardly extending arm '|0 which lies beneath a reduced diameter projection 12 formed on the extremity of the shaft 24. 'Ihe downwardly extending arm of the latch member 66 has a hook portion 84 which in normal position is in engagement with the'pin V56 of the ink pad carrier 52.

A tension spring 86 normally holds the latch 66 in the position shown in Fig. 1 with its hook portion 84 in engagement with the pin 56. Thus 40 during the rst portion of the downward stroke of the shaft 24 thev latch 66 will hold the ink pad stationary, the lost motion connection between the arm 62 and link 64 permitting such temporary restraint of the ink pad carrier. During this initial portion of the downward movement of the shaft 24 the type 26 will be forcibly pressed against the ink pad.

After the shaft 24 has moved downwardly a short distance its projecting end portion 12 will engage the arm |0 and swing the latch member 66 counterclockwise (Fig. l), thus removing the hook portion 84 of the latch from beneath the pin 66 and permitting the ink pad carrier to move downwardly, being guided by the inclined portions of the slots 58. Due to the dimensions of the linkage which operates the ink pad carrier the downward movement of the ink pad willbe more rapid than the downward movement of the type segments so that the ink pad will drop away from the type before it is moved appreciably in thev leftward direction. Thus the pad will not tend to wipe from the type the ink which has been deposited thereon.

The supply of ink upon the ink pad is replenished upon each operation of the machine by a mechanismwhich will now be described. This mechanism comprises a U-shaped frame 88 (Fig. 3) which is removably supported by the side frame plates I6 and I8 and the ends of which form bearings for an ink reservoir and an ink applying roller. The ink reservoir comprises a cylindrical shell 90, one end of vwhich is closed by a plug 92 having a suitable bearing portion 94 and the other end'ofV which is closedV by a cap y7.5 96 which has an internally Vthreaded neck 98.

A threaded plug |00 is screwed into the neck 98, having a suitable handle |02 formed at the outer end thereof.

A ratchet wheel |04 is rigidly secured to the end of the neck 98, preferably by a press fit or by staking. The shell 90 is provided with a plurality of slotted apertures |06, the number and width of these slots being proportioned to the requirements for ink of the different parts of the printing mechanism. For this reason the slots |06 formed in the central portion of the shell 90 are tapering in width as shown in Fig. 3.

The shell 90 is surrounded by a roll |08 of felt or similar material which is relatively compact and which will permit of only relatively slow seepage of the ink which is contained within the casing 90 to the external surface of the layer of felt. An ink distributing roller ||0 is rotatably mounted in the frame 88 with its surface in slight pressure contact with the surface of the layer of felt |08. A pinion ||2 is rigidly secured to the roller ||0 and meshes with a gear 4 secured to the cap 96. A suitable guard I I6 is secured to the frame 88 and will cover the necessary aperture in the casing 20 of the check writer through which the frame. 88 and the part supported thereby is removable.

The ink reservoir which comprises the shell 90 and all parts rotatable therewith, is adapted to be rotated during each operation of the machine by means of an arm I I8 Ywhich is secured to the end of the operating shaft 40. This arm carries a ratchet segment |20 pivoted upon the arm by a shouldered cap screw |22 and normally held in its outermost position by a grasshopper spring |24, the pivotal movement of the ratchet segment |20 being limited by a pin |26 secured in the arm ||8 and projecting through a slot |28 formed in the ratchet segment |20.

Referring to Fig. 1, upon the forward oscillation of the operating crank 36, the ratchet segment |20 will swing clockwise into engagement with the ratchet wheel |04, thus rotating the reservoir counterclockwise and the ink distributing roller |I0 clockwise.

This rotation of the ink reservoir and ink distributing roller will commence just prior to the time that the ink pad 50 reaches the distributing roller I0, and since the periphery of the ink distributing roller ||0 is moving in the same direction as the ink pad 50, but at a higher speed, the ink which has been applied to the roller I I0 from the layer of ink impregnated felt |08 is uniformly and effectively transferred to the ink pad 5U by A the roller IIO.

Upon the rearward stroke of the operating' crank 36 the ratchet segment |20 will swing counter-clockwise on its pivot |22 as permitted by the vslot |28 and pin |26, and the reservoir and the ink distributing roller I I0 will not be rotated.

vThe roller I0 will thus act as a wiper and leveler to remove any surplus ink which may have been applied to the ink pad 50. In Figs. 2 andv 4 the ink pad is shown near the leftward end of its stroke (the extreme position being indicated in dotted lines) and in Fig. 5 the pad is shown in a similar position which it will assume just after it has commenced its return movement to the right.

Thus in operation the type segments will first be set to selected position. Then upon the initial downward movement of the type Segments they will be pressed rmly against the ink pad until the latter is released by the latch 66 when the pad will move downwardly and away from the type faces and will be'moved rearwardly (to the left, Fig. 1) until it reaches the ink distributing roller H which at this time will be rotated by the ratchet segment |20 and apply ink to the pad. The amount of ink applied to the pad alo-ng different portions of its length will be determined by the cross sectional area of the apertures |06 formed in the shell 90 of the ink reservoir and the areas of these apertures will be determined by the ink requirements of the various type segments and will be so proportioned that the ink distribution upon the type will be very uniform so that the resulting impressions of the various type will be of equal color depth, making the impression upon the check Very clear` and legible. After the impression has been made the ink pad will be drawn past the then. stationary inkidistributing roller H0, and any surplus ink removed therefrom, and the ink pad carrier restored to the normal position in Fig. 1 in readiness for inking the type next selected for operation.

In Figs. 6 and '7 we have disclosed modified forms of our invention. In Fig. 6 the ink reservoir and ink distributing roller are arranged to be rotated in one direction as the ink pad moves rearwardly past the ink distributing roller and in the opposite direction as: the ink pad moves forwardly past the ink distributing roller. The mechanism for accomp-lishing this purpose comprises an arm |30 having a Geneva gear segment |32 formed thereon which is engageable with a Geneva gear |34 secured to the end of the operating shaft 00. 'Ihe arm |30 has a depending end portion |36 which has a gear lsegment |38 pivoted upon a pin |40 secured in the depending portion |30 and is resiliently pressed outwardly into position for engagement with a gear |42 secured to the cap 96 of the ink reservoir.

From the showing in Fig. 6 it will be apparent that as the check writer is operated the ink reservoir and its ink distributing roller will be rotated rst in one direction and then in the opposite direction. Due to the fact that the periphery of the ink distributing roller ||0 will be moving in a direction opposed to that of the movement of the ink pad 50, the amount of ink transferred by the roller will be greater than in the construction disclosedl in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. Since the roller ||0 is likewise rotated upon the return movement of the ink pad and in a direction` opposite to the movement of the pad, additional ink will be supplied to the pad upon the return movement thereof past the ink distributing roller. When it is desired to produce unusually dark impressions, the additional supply of ink thus deposited upon the ink pad by the mechanism disclosed in Fig. 6 may be effectively used.

The construction sho-wn in Fig. 'l is generally similar to that shown in Fig. 6 except that a ratchet toothed segment |44 is provided in place of the gear toothed segment |38 and a ratchet wheel |46 is provided in place of the gear |42. It will be apparent that in this construction the ink distributing roller ||0 Will be rotated only during the rearward movement of the ink pad 50 and the periphery of the roller will move in a direction opposed to the movement of the ink pad. Upon the return or forward movement of the 70 ink pad the ink distributing roller ||0 will be slightly greater than that supplied by the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 5 but which is less than that supplied by the mechanism shown in Fig. 6. The ink supplied in the construction of Fig. 7 will be less than that supplied by the mechanism shown in Fig. 6 because the ink distributing roller ||0 in the former construction will be stationary during the return movement of the ink pad and a portion of the ink supplied to the pad will be wiped therefrom by the stationaryv roller upon the return movement of the pad.

Since in normal operation of the check writer the rotation of the reservoir 90 will be at a relatively high speed the ink contained therein will, due to centrifugal force, tend to be forced into the ink absorptive covering |08. While it is questionable whether the centrifugal force is very great it has been found that with the construction shown the diiculty of having the surface of the ink reservoir become rather dry is eliminated and that instead the ink absorptive covering of the reservoir is maintained in properly moistened condition so that a suiicient sup-ply o-f ink will be transferred to the ink pad upon each operation of the machine. In the construction illustrated, the frame B8 may be readily removed from the machine and the plug' |00 unscrewed and the reservoir within the shell 90 readily refilled with ink.

The variation inthe distribution of the apertures |06 in the shell 00 has been found effective to secure a desired uniform distribution of ink to the various type segments. Due to the relatively large capacity o-f the reservoir shell 90, and due to the eiectiveness of the transfer of this ink to the impression faces of the type, the number of impressions which can be made before it is necessary to refill the reservoir is six or eight times as great as was obtainable in the type of inking mechanism previously used.

While we have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of our invention, many modications may be made without departingfrom the spirit of the invention, and we do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forthbut desire to availV ourselves of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new `and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the AUnited States is:

1. In a check writer of the type having a reciprocating inking pad, the combination of means for supplying ink to said pad comprising a rotatable ink reservoir, said reservoir having lan ink absorptive cylindrical surface supplied with ink from said reservoir, an ink distributing roller geared to said reservoir and having its surface engageable with that of said reservoir, an inking pad, means for moving said inking pad past said roller, and means for positively rotating said reservoir and roller at a speed such that the periphery of the roller will move more rapidly than the ink pad.

2. Inking mechanism for check writers comprising a movable ink pad and means to supply ink to said pad, said means comprising an ink reservoir in the form of a hollow cylindrical shell mounted for rotation and having a plurality of apertures formed therein, a layer of ink absorptive material surrounding said shell, an ink distributing roller rotatably mounted adjacent said shell and having a portion of its surface in contact with said ink absorptive layer, and means positively to rotate said shell and said roller rapidly while the latter is in contact with said ink pad, thereby rapidly to transfer ink from said reservoir to said pad.

3. In a check Writer, the combination of a reciprocable inking pad, and means to apply ink to said pad during a portion of the reciprocatory stroke of the latter, said means comprising a hollow cylindrical ink reservoir shell having a covering of ink absorptive material, said shell having a plurality of apertures formed therein to permit passage ofk ink fromthe shell to said inl:Y absorptive covering, an ink distributing roller contacting with said covering and deriving ink therefrom, gearing connecting said ink reservoir and said roller to cause said elements positively to rotate in rolling contact with one another, and means for positively rotating said ink reservoir shell at a speed such that the peripheral movement of the ink distributing roller willrbe more rapid than the movement of the ink pad past said roller.

4. In a check Writer, an` inking mechanism comprising a hollow cylindrical shell having apertures in its cylindrical surface, an ink absorptive covering for said shell, an ink distributing roller having a relatively smooth surface engaging the covering on said shell, a flat ink -absorptive pad, means for moving said pad tangentially into Contact With and past said ink distributing roller, and means to rotate said shell and said roller while said pad is in contact with said roller. Y

5. In a check writing machine having a plurality of sets of type, means for inking said type incidental to the normal operation of the machine comprising, a rotary cylindrical reservoir for supplying ink to said type, and an ink absorptive covering on said reservoir, said reservoir being positioned relative to said type that substantially all of the ink supplied to each of said sets of type will be received respectively from a predetermined portion of said reservoir, said reservoir having a plurality of apertures therein to permit ink to flow therefrom into saidy absorptive covering, the total cross-sectional area ofA said apertures in each of said predetermined portions .of v said reservoir being proportioned generally to the normal frequency of use of the set of type to which the reservoir portion supplies ink.` Y

6. In a check writer of the type having a reciprocating inking pad, the combination of means for, supplying ink to said pad comprising a rot-atable ink reservoir, said reservoir having an ink absorptive cylindrical surface supplied with ink from said reservoir, an ink distributing roller having its surface normally engaging that of said reservoir, an inking pad, means for moving said inking pad into contact with and past said roller, and means for positively rotating said reservoir and roller at a speed such that the periphery of the roller will move at a tangential speed differing from that of said ink pad.

7. Inking mechanism for check writers come prising a movable ink pad and means to apply ink to said pad, said means comprising a hollow cylindrical shell mounted for rotation and having a plurality of apertures formed therein, a. layer of ink absorptive material surrounding said shell, an ink distributing roller rotatably mounted adjacent said shell and having a portion of its surface in contact with said ink absorptive layer, and means to rotate said shell and saidroller at a suiiiciently rapid speed to'cause ink to be forced from said shell through apertures into said layer of ink absorptive material by the action oi' centrifugal force.

8. In Ya check Writer, the combination of a reciprocable inking pad, and means to apply ink to said pad during a portion of the reciprocatory stroke of the latter, said means comprising a hollow cylindrical ink reservoir shell having an absorptive covering and a plurality of apertures formed therein to permit ow of ink from the shell to said ink absorptive covering, an ink distributing roller contacting with said covering and deriving ink therefrom, gearing connecting said ink reservoir shell and said roller to cause said elements positively to rotate in rolling contact with one another.,V and means for positively and rapidly rotating said ink reservoir shell in a direction such that the peripheral movement of the Vink distributing roller will be in a direction opposed to that of the movement of the ink pad past said roller.

9. In a check writer of the class having type carriers supplied with ink by a reciprocating inking pad, the combination of means for supplying ink to said pad comprising a reservoir having an ink absorptive surface and an ink distributing roller having its surface engageable with said absorptive surface of said reservoir, an inking pad, means for moving said inking pad past said roller, and means for feeding various amounts of ink from said reservoir to the various portions of said absorptive surface, whereby the type carriers which are normally used most frequently may be supplied with more ink than the remaining type carriers.

l0. Inking mechanism for check writers of the class having `type carriers and operating means therefor comprising a movable ink pad and means to apply ink to said pad, said last-named means comprising a hollow cylindrical ink reservoir shell mounted for rotation and having a plurality. of apertures formed therein, a layer of ink absorptive material surrounding said shell, an ink distributing roller rotatably mounted adjacent said shell and having a portion of its surface in contact with said ink absorptive layer, and means actuated by the operating means positively to rotate said shelf and said roller when the latter is in contact with said ink pad, thereby rapidly to transfer ink from said reservoir shell to said pad.

11. In a check writer of the class having type carriers and operating means, the combination of a reciprocable inking pad, and means to apply ink to said pad during a portion of the reciprocatory stroke of the latter, said means comprising a hollow cylindrical ink reservoir shell having a covering of ink absorptive material, said shell having a plurality of apertures formed therein to permit passage of ink from the shell to said ink absorptive covering, an ink distributing roller contacting with said covering and deriving ink therefrom, gearing connecting said ink reservoir and said roller to cause said elements posipad is in contact with said ink distributing roller. 0

HERBERT R. HEDMAN. CLARENCE W. JOHNSON. 

